Last full week of school

Source: Harvard's Celebration of Diversity

Wow, this is the last full week of the school year. I miss you all so much. If we were on campus you'd have finals starting on Friday. I'm not giving you a final exam, but there are a few things you need to do THIS WEEK.

1. Read the news: Don't just watch it. Find an article to read. Better yet, read several from different sources. All media has bias, so you often need to read more than one source to compare the facts. Then write about it in your English Journal. Think of it as your last "article of the week" assignment, but really I just want you to know what is going on. Consider ways you can help. 
2. Attendance Form: Be sure you do it before noon on Friday 6/5. It includes some trivia questions. You can Google them.
3. Suspenseful Narrative: It's a story. There is an assignment for it in Google Classroom. Get it done well and on time. There won't be time for regrades and if you turn it in late I may not have enough time to get it graded. 
4. Regrade Requests and Late Work: Everything needs to be in by Friday 6/5. If your score was low on your Poe/Laughton Essay you can revise that and request a regrade. If you still need to turn in your Suspenseful Moments Project or your Famous Person Project, finish those by Friday 6/5. Be sure to click "TURN IN" in Google Classroom or I won't know you did the work. 
5. Attend a Zoom call: Mrs. R will be on Zoom at 3:00 PM on Tuesday and Thursday. Join one of those calls to check in, especially if you have questions. (Link in Google Classroom.)

GET FREE AUDIO BOOKS: Check out https://www.audiobooksync.com/ for two free teen audio books each week. New books each Thursday, so get the ones for this week before they are gone. (Note: I've appreciated and used this service for years. It's safe and they don't steal or misuse your info. I'm currently listening to Serpent&Dove. It's good so far.)

• Register on their site by entering your email and then read the directions for activating your SORA app. (Use the set up code not find my school.)
• Once you get the books you have them. They don't expire. 
• Get the SORA app SORA for ios, SORA for Android. 
• You can also go to https://soraapp.com/welcome and use your computer to listen to the books. 

Returning classroom library books: A lot of you have asked me how you can bring back books you've borrowed from our classroom and I've been trying to figure out a safe way for you to do that. I'll keep you posted. If you are moving, try to give any books you have to a friend who will be at PL in the fall. 

Remember Monday and Tuesday next week are still school days. I'll probably have to enter attendance by noon on Tuesday, so be ready to check in fast next week. 

Narrative Writing Project (The Suspenseful Story)

Welcome back to the blog!

We have one last big project before the end of the year. It is your Narrative Writing Project.

The last narrative you wrote was your memoir back in the fall, now you get to write a fictional story using what you know now about suspense. Yep, you get to write a suspenseful story.

You can find the project steps doc in Google Classroom and you should watch the video version of the directions HERE.

Remember to complete your ATTENDANCE FORM for this week by 12:00 noon on Friday 5/29.

If you haven't done your Spring Lexile Test you can also find the links for that at the top of your classwork page in Google Classroom.

Important Due Dates:

• Friday 5/29: Attendance form by noon and Quizizz for this project by 3:30. (See project steps in Google Classroom.) 
• Friday 6/5: Your suspenseful story is due in Google Classroom AND on Flipgrid. 
• Monday 6/8: Last day to request a regrade on any major writing project from this semester. 

Office Hours: 

• Mrs. R has a zoom session at 3:00 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Link will be posted in the stream in Google Classroom when I open the meeting. Come by and say hi or bring your questions. 

Wrapping up your famous person project

Welcome back!

Did you know this is a short week? Technically, Friday is not a school day according to our school calendar. This means I have to turn in my attendance on THURSDAY, so do the WEEKLY ATTENDANCE FORM right now.

1. Take this TEST:
I'm getting lots of questions about the spring lexile test. I know you have been reading, so here is your chance to show off your progress. This is the same test you took in September and January. You will find a new assignment for this in Google Classroom. Please mark it as done when you have finished your test. If you have a problem let me know. If you start and have to stop you can pick it up again later.

2. Finish your Project:
Your famous person project is still technically due on Friday 5/22. You can turn it in late though. Just remember to click "TURN IN" or I won't know you are done and I won't grade it.

3. Check your grades:
Speaking of grades, If you turned in your Suspenseful Moments essay on time last week, it should have a grade in PS. If not, please go check your document for a note from me. You may need to revise and turn it in again.

4. Keep reading:
If you need help with book suggestions please message me on Remind. You know how I love to make book recommendations.

The Famous Person Project

Welcome Back!

I won't release your attendance form for this week until Tuesday, but if you want to prove you were here today, you can complete a READING PROGRESS UPDATE.

This week we begin your second, graded, distance learning, project. It's about a famous person of your choice. You can find the project steps doc in Google Classroom and you should watch the video version of the directions HERE.

On Tuesday, I'll make your ATTENDANCE FORM live for this week, but you will want to make some progress on your project first. That way you'll be able to tell me how great you are doing, and also ask me questions about the project when you fill out the form.

For this project you are doing an analysis of the way a famous person of your choice is presented in various media.

A few important due dates: (These are also all in Google Classroom.)

1. Attendance form for this week is due by 12:30 PM on Friday May 15th. 
2. The Quizizz for this project is also due Friday May 15th by 3:00 PM. 
3. The Famous Person Media Organizer is due by Monday May 18th at 4:00 PM. (If you do it after that, I probably won't grade it. It's a progress grade. You have a week. Don't procrastinate.)
4. Your analysis: essay or screencast, is due Friday May 22nd at 4:00 PM
5. Office hours with Mrs. R. are Tuesday and Thursday from 3-4 PM. Stop by. Link in Google Classroom. 

Reminders: 

• Turn in your Suspenseful Moments Essay in Google Classroom if you didn't last week. Yes, you have to actually click turn in on your document and then again in Google Classroom. I won't grade it if it isn't turned in because I'll think you're not done yet. 
• Keep reading. Your independent reading requirement has not gone away. 
• Hang on to any books you borrowed from our classroom. I promise I will let you know how you can bring them back later. 
• Email or message me on Remind if you have questions or want to meet. 

Greetings my young padawan...

Welcome back,

1. Please do the ATTENDANCE FORM for the week of May 4th. Do this by 3:00 on Friday 5/8 or I have to mark you absent for the week. You ONLY have to do the form ONCE each week.

2. You should be making great progress on your SUSPENSEFUL MOMENTS book project. See Google Classroom or the post below for more information.
All parts of your project are due by 5/8, but you can turn them in early too.

3. Office Hours: Mrs. R will have optional office hours on Tuesday and Thursday from 3:00-4:00 PM. (I had to change them slightly because of a staff meeting.) You will find the zoom link in Google Classroom. (It will be posted just before the hour.) Office hours are for students to stop by to say hello and ask questions. They are not required, but I do love getting to see you.

If you have some spare time, and want to watch some of the Star Wars saga, this graphic may help you orient yourself. May the force be with you.